Posts By Mark Gorkin

The Reorg Rag (with apologies to no one)

It can’t happen here, I have too much to do…Who took my desk and chair, my computer, too?They can’t replace me — the Branch Techno-fileWhat do you mean I’m still in denial? Reorg Rag, Reorg Rag,Why does it feel I’ve been fragged?Reorg Rag, Reorg Rag,Maybe I’m just on a jag.Reorg Rag, Reorg Rag,I’m still onRead… Read more »

The Stress Doc’s “Top Ten Commandments” for Transforming Reorganizational Crisis: Generating the Four “R”s – Relief and Reflection, Rejuvenation and Recommitment – Part III

Part I introduced three necessary transition stress interventions for engaging an audience on “The Reorg Rag” ™, that is going through transitional crisis: 1) “Bring Your Inner Clint Eastwood” – demonstrate a readiness to empathically and assertively handle audience anger or angst, 2) “Warm Up and Cool Down the Audience” – through healing humor andRead… Read more »

The Stress Doc’s “Top Ten Commandments” for Transforming Reorganizational Crisis: Generating the Four “R”s – Relief and Reflection, Rejuvenation and Recommitment – Part II

Based on work with a variety of organizational and corporate clients, Part I outlined three necessary transition stress interventions for engaging an angry and anxious audience caught in a rough and rocky reorganizational sea change. (Email [email protected] if you missed Part I.) The foundational interventions were: 1) “Bring Your Inner Clint Eastwood,” 2) “Warm UpRead… Read more »

The Stress Doc’s “Top Ten Commandments” for Transforming Reorganizational Crisis: Generating the Four “R”s – Relief and Reflection, Rejuvenation and Recommitment – Part I

This past week I led programs with Metro-DC city and county government agencies that are in the throes of reorganization: a) the quasi-private/city government agency is anticipating major overhauls and upgrades to their information processing systems which may result in significant job restructuring and redesign, as well as possible job loss, b) the county governmentRead… Read more »

Keys to Strengthening Buy-in, Trust and Team Coordination in a Generationally-Culturally Diverse (Military) Workforce — Part II

Part I of this two-part series has delineated five of the “Top Ten Tools and Strategies for Strengthening Buy-in, Trust and Team Coordination among a Generationally-Culturally Diverse (Military) Workforce,” including building communication bridges and fostering a team/systems concept that has application for both military and non-military work settings. The first five “Tools and Strategies” are:1.Read… Read more »

Keys to Strengthening Buy-in, Trust and Team Coordination in a Generationally-Culturally Diverse (Military or Civilian) Workforce

I’m preparing for a major offsite event with the Command Teams of the 1st Cavalry/Ft. Hood, TX. I’ve been asked to explore new (for me) conceptual territory — Generational Diversity. More specifically, the Army wants me to provide some fresh ideas and exercises for “Communicating with the Younger Soldier.” To oversimplify matters: how can theRead… Read more »

“Letting Go” and Transforming Your Intimate FOE — Fear of Exposure: Part II

Part I of this two-part essay focused on my format for illustrating the concept of “Letting Go” during a 20-minute after dinner keynote for the career transition/support group, Forty Plus. [Email [email protected] for this essay.] I reviewed both the dynamics and dangers of not being able to “let go”: “if you have invested so muchRead… Read more »

Career Disruption Stress or Surviving “The Jack Benny Dilemma”: When It Really Is “Your Money or Your Life”

This week I was the keynote speaker at the Forty Plus annual dinner (www.40plus-dc.org/), a volunteer-based, Washington, DC, career transition/support group. In general, members are white collar types, e.g., federal employees, managers, IT professionals, academics, even some entrepreneurs, who are “in between jobs.” With only 20 minutes of speaking time, my subject was definitely apt,Read… Read more »

A Busy Women’s Retreat: “Turning Seeds of Dissolution into Fruitful Renewal” — From Each One Letting Go to All Helping One Another Grow

On the first weekend in March – mostly sunny weather, briskly seasonal temperatures without the customary roaring and “marching in” mountain winds – we had our first Busy Women’s Retreat at the serene, scenic Blue Mountain Retreat Center, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western Maryland (near Harpers Ferry, WV). The Blue Mountain RetreatRead… Read more »

The Audacity of Humility: Leading by “All Too Human” Example

Just before the start of a “Stress, Change and Creative Teaming” workshop, I was testing out my microphone. The program was for managers of a global engineering company. Most of the 50 + particpants were ex-military, now contractors working with commands and brigades based at Ft. Hood, TX or presently stationed overseas. As I calledRead… Read more »